Pulsed radiofrequency radiation, and epigenetics: How wireless technologies may affect childhood development

Child Development · 2017 · Harm · Low evidence

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HarmLow evidencePaper 2263

Study snapshot

PublicationChild Development · 2017

Study typereview

Reported directionHarm

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

- Pulsed radiofrequency radiation, and epigenetics: How wireless technologies may affect childhood development Sage C, Burgio E. Electromagnetic Fields, Pulsed radiofrequency radiation, and epigenetics: How wireless technologies may affect childhood development. Child Development. Published online May 15, 2017. Abstract Mobile phones and other wireless devices that produce electromagnetic fields (EMF) and pulsed radiofrequency radiation (RFR) are widely documented to cause potentially harmful health impacts that can be detrimental to young people. New epigenetic studies are profiled in this review to account for some neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral changes due to exposure to wireless technologies. Symptoms of retarded memory, learning, cognition, attention, and behavioral problems have been reported in numerous studies and are similarly manifested in autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, as a result of EMF and RFR exposures where both epigenetic drivers and genetic (DNA) damage are likely contributors. Technology benefits can be realized by adopting wired devices for education to avoid health risk and promote academic achievement. Conclusions Public health implications of wireless technologies are enormous because there has been a very rapid global deployment in homes, education, transportation, and health care in the last two decades. Even a small risk from chronic use wireless technologies may have a profound global health impact. Impacts on the fetus via parental exposures to wireless devices preconception and during in utero development, infant rearing (baby monitors, wireless surveillance, Wi-Fi routers, DECT cordless phones, etc.), and childhood preschool and academic environments all may contribute in incremental ways to a perpetually saturated habitat of wireless emissions, and health impacts from the chronic, stressful body burden of EMF and RFR. The wide array of pathophysiological effects of EMF and RFR exposures from wireless sources do not require "the breaking of molecular bonds" as done by ionizing radiation in order for physiologically damaging effects to occur. Epigenetic mechanisms alone can change fetal development in profound ways, disrupting health by causing changes in gene activation and expression without change in gene sequences. Environmental epigenetic influences in the fetal and neonatal development (i.e., epigenetic regulation of genes rather than direct genetic effects by gene mutation) have been plausibly established to cause pathophysiological changes that can result in altered neurological development. Symptoms of neurodevelopmental problems in children like retarded memory, learning, cognition, attention, and behavioral aberrations that are similarly expressed in autism and ADHD have been reported in numerous scientific studies to occur as a result of EMF and RFR exposures, where epigenetic drivers are the most likely causes, and persistent exposures contribute to chronic dysfunction, overwhelming adaptive biological responses. Electronic educational technologies have not resulted in better academic achievement globally and lend support to scientific studies showing adverse health and developmental impacts (OECD, 2015). Reductions in preventable exposures to EMF and RFR should be a top public health and school district priority. Technology benefits can be realized by adopting wired devices for education, to avoid health risk and promote academic achievement. Wider recognition that epigenetic factors are a plausible mechanism for EMF/RFR to regulate expression of DNA and thus impact child development is a critical need. Whether future research can identify safe levels of wireless exposures is unknown, but further investigation of epigenetic markers related to EMF/RFR exposure in child development and disease is warranted. onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typereview

Effect directionharm

Populationchildren, fetus, infants, young people

Sample sizeNot supplied

Exposureradiofrequency · chronic, long-term exposure

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 40% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

This review profiles epigenetic studies suggesting that chronic exposure to pulsed radiofrequency radiation from wireless technologies may contribute to neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral problems in children, including symptoms similar to autism and ADHD. Epigenetic mechanisms are proposed as plausible drivers of these effects without direct genetic mutation. The review highlights potential public health impacts and recommends reducing wireless exposures, especially in educational settings, by adopting wired technologies.

Outcomes measured

neurodevelopmental changes
neurobehavioral changes
retarded memory
learning deficits
cognitive impairment
attention problems
behavioral problems
autism spectrum disorder-like symptoms
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-like symptoms

Limitations

Review study without new experimental data
Causal relationships are suggested but not definitively established
Uncertainty about safe exposure levels
Potential confounding factors in cited studies not detailed

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "review",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "radiofrequency",
    "source": "mobile phones, wireless devices, Wi-Fi routers, DECT cordless phones, baby monitors, wireless surveillance",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "chronic, long-term exposure"
  },
  "population": "children, fetus, infants, young people",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "neurodevelopmental changes",
    "neurobehavioral changes",
    "retarded memory",
    "learning deficits",
    "cognitive impairment",
    "attention problems",
    "behavioral problems",
    "autism spectrum disorder-like symptoms",
    "attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-like symptoms"
  ],
  "main_findings": "This review profiles epigenetic studies suggesting that chronic exposure to pulsed radiofrequency radiation from wireless technologies may contribute to neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral problems in children, including symptoms similar to autism and ADHD. Epigenetic mechanisms are proposed as plausible drivers of these effects without direct genetic mutation. The review highlights potential public health impacts and recommends reducing wireless exposures, especially in educational settings, by adopting wired technologies.",
  "effect_direction": "harm",
  "limitations": [
    "Review study without new experimental data",
    "Causal relationships are suggested but not definitively established",
    "Uncertainty about safe exposure levels",
    "Potential confounding factors in cited studies not detailed"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.4,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "pulsed radiofrequency radiation",
    "epigenetics",
    "child development",
    "wireless technologies",
    "neurodevelopment",
    "EMF exposure",
    "ADHD",
    "autism",
    "public health"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "school-wi-fi",
      "weight": 0.8,
      "reason": "Focus on wireless exposures in educational environments and recommendations for wired devices in schools."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12824/abstract
PubMed: Not supplied

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